The media pretty much reported that in Mr. Carver’s recommendations the acreage size limits weren’t really increased and red tape should be reduced. But there is a lot more in his discussion, of course. It appears he read everything about land and rural development that government and other organizations have produced for the last decade or two. He concludes that the “aggregate” land holding limit is primarily a concern of the potato industry, and has to decide if raising the limit would “fix” the industry.

One report he cites (page 20) that I hadn’t really remembered much about was the 2009 Report of the Commission on the Future of Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled Growing the Island Way (http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/af_co mmofagri.pdf ). This commission was made up a group of farmers, including Rory Francis, Raymond Loo, Randall Affleck, and Cynthia Frizzle.

In its conclusion, the 2009 Report of the Commission on the Future of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Growing the Island Way, put it this way:
“A ‘vicious circle’ has taken hold, characterized by declining profits, consolidation, and an intensification of operations that is causing negative environmental impacts and losing farmers the respect of the community. Without profit or pride, the next generation of farmers, or ‘new entrants’, is turning away from the industry.”

With this note: There is reference in this report to the impact of irrigation and the importance of headwaters for spawning of salmon but would apply also to brook trout.
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Resources from the Watershed Alliance’s Workshop on Groundwater Extraction, November 30, 2013

The Groundwater Extraction Workshop held by the PEI Watershed Alliance on November 30, 2014 allowed various groups to put forward their research and their views on groundwater extraction on Prince Edward Island. The presentations are available through the PE Watershed Alliance website:

The following letters from the Watershed Alliance and watershed groups expressing concerns over the deep well ground water extraction for irrigation were forwarded to Minister Sherry after the workshop.